Genoa issues airport waiver for pesto

ROME — The Italian port city of Genoa has taken pride in its famed pesto sauce to new heights by granting special airport waivers for those who can’t get enough of the basil and pine nut pasta sauce.

Genoa’s airport is letting travelers take as much as 500 grams (17.5 ounces) of pesto in their carry-on luggage, exempting them from the 100-milliliter (3-fluid ounce) rule for liquids in carry-on baggage.

The catch: Passengers must make a donation of 50 cents or more to a charity that airlifts sick children to hospitals.

The airport said in a statement this week that some 500 euros had been raised in the first 20 days of the initiative, which was inspired by the anguish of having to confiscate so many jars of pesto from foodies trying to get them through security.